“I absolutely can’t imagine that there will be oil
activity in the opened areas of Nordland VI this fall,” Prime
Minister Stoltenberg said today in a debate at the Oslo-based
parliament, referring to an exploration area that has been put
on hold for the past decade.

Petroleum and Energy Minister Ola Borten Moe said in
November that he favored opening up that area as soon as this
year, while he also advocated keeping a ban on other disputed
blocks off the Lofoten and Vesteraalen islands until at least
2017. Stoltenberg’s coalition is divided over whether to open
the restricted areas, which according to industry group KonKraft
could hold as much as 3.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

Pressure is increasing to open the area for exploration as
crude output in western Europe’s largest oil producer has fallen
by about 50 percent in the past decade.

The government’s junior partners in 2011 were able to
postpone a decision on starting an impact study, a formal step
needed to open new blocks to the industry, until after September
elections. Stoltenberg’s Labor Party last week revived tensions
within the government by signalling it would favour starting an
impact study after the election. Leading opposition parties,
which according to polls could take power in September, have
said they want to open the areas as soon as possible.

The environmentally sensitive areas are home to unique
cold-water coral reefs, provide breeding grounds for wildlife
ranging from fish to whales and is a place where some of
Europe’s largest seabird colonies gather.

Borten Moe is a member of the Center Party, which is split
on opening the areas for oil exploration.